The New England Patriots defeated the defending champion, the Seattle Seahawks, to earn the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl Championship on Sunday.
New England quarterback Tom Brady threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns in the Patriots’ 28-24 victory on Super Bowl Sunday. Brady was named the Super Bowl MVP for the third time in his career for his performance.
“It was a great game,” said senior Joon Row. “Last year was a terrible game. This year it came down to the last play so you can’t ask for anything better.”
There was no shortage of action in the game, as it looked like the Seahawks were going to score a touchdown in the game's final seconds to take a decisive lead and earn their second straight Super Bowl title.
The Seahawks were positioned on the Patriots 1-yard line in prime scoring position; however, Patriots safety Malcolm Butler intercepted the end zone pass from Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson’s to wide receiver Ricardo Lockette to give the Patriots the win.
Fans who watched the game on Sunday evening at Ramapo College were left wondering why the Seahawks did not let running back Marshawn Lynch, who ran for 102 yards on 24 carries in the game, make the last push into the end zone.
“I don’t understand it. The play right before it was a 4-yard run for Marshawn Lynch. He brought you to the half-yard line, you’ve got to let him finish that off,” Row said. “I don’t know why they threw the ball there. That doesn’t make sense.”
The Patriots scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter as Brady threw a 3-yard pass to wide receiver Julian Edelman to put New England up 27-24. The pass, Brady’s 13th career Super Bowl touchdown pass, broke the record previously held by Joe Montana.
Place-kicker Stephen Gostkowski converted on the extra point to give the Patriots a four point lead, which would hold up as the Patriots won their first Super Bowl Championship since 2004.
The game remained close throughout most of the contest, as the teams entered halftime tied at 14-14. The Seahawks appeared to have some momentum coming into the fourth quarter, after scoring 10 points in the third.
However, the Patriots put up 14 points of their own to come from behind and spoil the Seahawks' chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The Seahawks could have been the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Patriots did it in 2003 and 2004.
Some fans, like Row, feel like the Patriots may not have fairly earned the chance to play in the Super Bowl after it was discovered that 11 of the 12 Patriots footballs used during the AFC Championship game were deflated.
The deflated footballs allegedly could have made it easier for Brady and the Patriots to make passing plays against the Indianapolis Colts en route to their 45-7 win.
“I don’t think people care, but this victory should have an asterisk next to it because it’s a little sketchy coming from [head coach Bill] Belichick and the Patriots,” Row said.
Controversy aside, the Patriots and football fans in New England celebrated the victory in the Super Bowl parade through downtown Boston on Wednesday as the Super Bowl XLIX champions.
mmontal1@ramapo.edu